Inman says she'll run again for Arkansas secretary of stateLITTLE ROCK — A former state and local elections official says she's making another run for Arkansas secretary of state. Susan Inman announced Tuesday she's seeking the Democratic nomination for the post, currently held by Republican Mark Martin. Martin was first elected to the post in 2010 and is barred from seeking re-election next year because of term limits. Inman lost to Martin in the 2014 secretary of state's race. She served as director...

Arkansas governor travels to Washington to talk health lawLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says a meeting in Washington with other governors and Trump administration officials to discuss the health care overhaul was productive and that he's encouraged there's a commitment to include him and leaders from other states to find solutions to concerns with the law. Hutchinson's office said the Republican governor traveled to Washington on Monday morning for the White House meeting to discuss opti...

3 of 4 charged in Arkansas day care van death enter pleasMARION— Three of four women charged with manslaughter in the death of a 5-year-old boy who was left in a day care van in Arkansas have pleaded not guilty. Online court records show Felicia Phillips, Wanda Taylor and Kendra Washington pleaded not guilty on Monday in Crittenden County Circuit Court in Marion. The three are charged in the June 12 death of Christopher Gardner Jr., who authorities say was left in a day care van in West Memphis for ...

2 killed in collision on Interstate 40 in central ArkansasMAUMELLE — Arkansas State Police say two people were killed after a crash on Interstate 40 in central Arkansas on Sunday. State police say the wreck happened at about 5 a.m. Sunday near the Morgan/Maumelle exit on the interstate in Pulaski County. According to a preliminary report, a car driven by 27-year-old Lucy Enloe of North Little Rock was disabled in the right lane because of an earlier, unrelated wreck. An oncoming pickup truck crashed ...

Medical professionals in Arkansas join marijuana systemLITTLE ROCK — Several health care professionals are joining Arkansas' rising medical marijuana market, but many physicians remain hesitant or opposed to participating. The Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association is compiling a list of doctors willing to certify patients to use medical marijuana, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported . Dr. John House with the Eureka Springs Family Clinic said he's willing to sign the certifications be...

Arkansas sees decrease in graduates going to state collegesLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas education officials say the number of high school graduates enrolling in state colleges in 2016 decreased slightly compared to the year before. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports the Arkansas Department of Higher Education found that about 50 percent of the state's more than 30,000 public high school graduates enrolled in a state public college or university last year. That's down from 51 percent in 2015. The report d...

16-year-old charged in Arkansas police officer's killingLITTLE ROCK — A 16-year-old has been charged as an adult with capital murder in the shooting death of an Arkansas police officer. The teen was being held Wednesday at a juvenile detention center in the death of Newport police Lt. Patrick Weatherford. The teen's name wasn't immediately released by authorities. The charges filed Wednesday also include possession of a handgun by a minor. An 18-year-old had previously been accused in the June 12 s...

Arkansas senators say they'll continue health care workLITTLE ROCK— Arkansas' two Republican senators say they want to continue addressing concerns they have with the federal health care overhaul despite the collapse of GOP efforts in Washington to repeal and replace the law. U.S. Sens. Tom Cotton and John Boozman voted early Friday for the slimmed-down repeal legislation that narrowly failed in the U.S. Senate. Cotton said later Friday he was disappointed in the vote's result, but vowed to workin...

Court clears way for Arkansas abortion pill rulesLITTLE ROCK — An appeals court panel cleared the way Friday for Arkansas to restrict how the abortion pill is administered in the state, saying a judge didn't estimate how many women would be burdened by a 2015 law's requirement. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis vacated U.S. District Court Judge Kristine Baker's preliminary injunction against the law. The measure requires doctors providing the pill to m...

New market for Arkansas riceLITTLE ROCK -- If everything goes according to plan, Arkansas will be selling rice to China. This is possible because Sonny Perdue, secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recently signed an agreement that allows U.S. farmers to sell rice to China for the first time in history. This is great news for our farmers in Arkansas. We grow as much rice as the other 49 states combined. This deal opens up very a profitable market for the state...

16-year-old charged in officer's killingLITTLE ROCK -- A 16-year-old has been charged as an adult with capital murder in the shooting death of an Arkansas police officer. The teen was being held Wednesday at a juvenile detention center in the death of Newport police Lt. Patrick Weatherford. The teen's name wasn't immediately released by authorities. The charges filed Wednesday also include possession of a handgun by a minor. An 18-year-old had previously been accused in the June 12 ...

Arkansas again submits info to voting commissionLITTLE ROCK — Arkansas has again submitted some of the information sought by a commission formed by President Donald Trump to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the 2016 election. Secretary of State Mark Martin's office said it had submitted the information Thursday afternoon to the panel after it renewed its request for publicly available information about the state's voters. The state had submitted identical information to the panel e...

State submits information to voter fraud commissionLITTLE ROCK -- Arkansas has again submitted some of the information sought by a commission formed by President Donald Trump to investigate allegations of voter fraud in the 2016 election. Secretary of State Mark Martin's office said it had submitted the information Thursday afternoon to the panel after it renewed its request for publicly available information about the state's voters. The state had submitted identical information to the panel ...

Northeast Arkansas man dies of injuries after shed explodesMONETTE — Authorities say a northeast Arkansas man has died of injuries he suffered in the explosion of a shed that also injured a sheriff's deputy. The Craighead County Sheriff's Office says Jamie Lisk died at a hospital where he was taken following the blast Tuesday. Sheriff's Deputy Garland Tipton was also hospitalized in undisclosed condition for injuries he suffered in the explosion, although his injuries were described as "not major." Th...

Insurers propose rate increases for Arkansas marketplaceLITTLE ROCK— Health insurers have proposed rate increases ranging from nearly 8 percent to 22 percent starting in 2018 for thousands of Arkansans covered through the marketplace set up under the federal health care law. The Insurance Department released the proposed increases on Wednesday and said it has until Aug. 16 to approve rates for the coming year. Gov. Asa Hutchinson praised the increases as among the lowest in the country, and credite...

Insurers propose rate increases for Arkansas marketplaceLITTLE ROCK — Health insurers have proposed rate increases ranging from nearly 8 percent to 22 percent starting in 2018 for thousands of Arkansans covered through the marketplace set up under the federal health care law. The Insurance Department released the proposed increases on Wednesday and said it has until Aug. 16 to approve rates for the coming year. Gov. Asa Hutchinson praised the increases as among the lowest in the country, and credit...

Little Rock school integration anniversary plans unveiledLITTLE ROCK— Officials say newly unveiled plans to commemorate the 60th anniversary of nine African-American students desegregating Little Rock Central High School will reflect on the progress made in educating students of diverse backgrounds. A commemoration ceremony, sculpture installation and other events were announced by the school's principal and city officials Wednesday. An anniversary logo featuring the facade of the school was also un...

Arkansas proposal seeks Medicaid for Marshallese childrenLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Department of Human Services is submitting a proposal that would allow Marshallese children living in the state to become eligible for Medicaid coverage. The proposal would also eliminate a requirement for other legal immigrant children to live in the U.S. for five years before becoming eligible for Medicaid, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2h2Db0A ) reported. Children living in the country illegally wou...

Arkansas governor's son's DWI conviction overturnedFAYETTEVILLE — The drunken driving conviction of the son of Arkansas' governor has been overturned because of a problem with the ticket. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/2uSUVRK ) that a Washington County judge dismissed charges a William Asa Hutchinson III on Monday. The younger Hutchinson was arrested Jan. 24, 2016, on charges of DWI, careless driving and refusing to submit to a chemical test. He was convicted in November...

Committee begins planning for future of Arkansas judiciaryLITTLE ROCK— An Arkansas committee has met for the first time to come up with a plan for the state's judiciary. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2tWPi0h ) reports that Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Dan Kemp announced his intention to create the long-term strategic agenda during his State of the Judiciary address last month. Kemp says the panel will likely address updating jury and case management systems, automating courtroo...